August 2021 Monthly Running Challenge

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  • Teresa502
    Teresa502 Posts: 1,745 Member
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    August 1 – 6.33
    August 2 – 5.35
    August 3 – 5.28
    August 4 – 5.27
    August 6 – 6.04
    August 7/8 – 5.01

    Last night (technically this morning) I ran the Pigeon Forge Midnight 8K. Race report in the spoiler below. Today a friend and I biked on the Greenways in Knoxville for 20 miles.
    The toughest part of the race was staying awake until the start. A friend and I drove down Saturday morning, did some shopping in nearby Knoxville, checked into the hotel and rested for about an hour before heading to the outlets for more shopping. Because of the shortage in help many of the stores closed at 6:00 and 8:00 pm instead of the usually 9:00 pm. We shopped until about 7:30 and decided we were hungry but didn’t want to eat a big meal so we grabbed a sandwich at Subway and ate it in the car in the parking lot. We then drove to packet pick-up which began at 9:30 pm in the parking lot of a local community center. After a bathroom stop, we drove to the start line which was a couple miles from packet pick-up. There we just hung out in the car until about 11:30 when we decided to get our legs warmed up.

    If you aren’t familiar with Pigeon Forge, it is a tourist town at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains. If there can be anything to take your money, it is there. Putt-putt, go-karts, rides, shopping, restaurants, etc. There are three lanes of traffic on each side and they are normally bumper-to-bumper every weekend. The race began with three hand cyclists taking off at 11:59 pm and the runners followed at midnight. The police diverted traffic to the two outside lanes with the inside lane on each side marked off with cones. It was a very flat course. We went out 2 miles, then circled back 2 miles, went ½ mile past the start/finish area and circled back ½ mile to finish.

    I finished 4th in my age group (out of 9) and 102 overall (out of 141 finishers) with a time of 52:37 and a pace of 10:36 which was a decent time for me. My slowest mile was mile 4. I caught up with a little girl who I found out later was 9 years old, and she struggling, saying she wasn’t going to finish and that 1 mile was the farthest she had ever run. I walked with her for a few seconds and tried to encourage her as much as I could. She kept going and ended up finishing with a time of 58:00 which I thought was stellar!
    Welcome @DuchessDiona!

    @ContraryMaryMary – I don’t say this often, but that cake—way too beautiful to eat!!! I hope the party went fantastic! Hope you are feeling better and made it to your race.

    @rheddmobile – If I could excel/qualify for any Olympic sport, I think it would be the trick bicycle riding. The little girl in me says gymnast though.

    Sorry for the Garmin troubles @quilteryoyo. Good job getting the 10 miles done regardless of Garmin!

    Oh goodness @alphahowls! So sorry for all the stings. Those can be so dangerous.
  • quilteryoyo
    quilteryoyo Posts: 6,073 Member
    edited August 2021
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    Great run @RunsOnEspresso . I hope they cut the weeds so you'll have a new place to run.

    @Tramboman Now that you mention it, I remember the disembodied gloves, but still can't put a tune to the song.

    Nice race @Teresa502 ! That is a great pace. Was there a lot of traffic in the outside lanes? I'm glad you stopped to encourage the 9 year old and that she was able to finish in such a good time.
  • Tramboman
    Tramboman Posts: 2,482 Member
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    quilteryoyo wrote: »
    Great run @RunsOnEspresso . I hope they cut the weeds so you'll have a new place to run.

    @Tramboman Now that you mention it, I remember the disembodied gloves, but still can't put a tune to the song.

    Nice race @Teresa502 ! That is a great pace. Was there a lot of traffic in the outside lanes? I'm glad you stopped to encourage the 9 year old and that she was able to finish in such a good time.

    If you have a keyboard handy, try
    GGGGGGG, FFFED, EEEFGFE, DGFED.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,012 Member
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    Great race report @Teresa502. I think it would be hard to run that late.

    @Tramboman I remember Captain Kangaroo, but only vaguely. I don't remember the songs.

    When it comes to the Olympics as a kid I always wanted to be a gymnast.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
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    10k running and nearly 10 miles total. We’re back to being under a heat advisory again. In the 90s and heat index got as high as 101 when we were out running. Comparatively not bad - not as humid, breeze, decent cloud cover most of the way. What we did for water this time was start our run in the middle, run 5k one way, turn around, head back to the car, and swap out our empty water bottle for a new one which was filled with ice and stored in the cooler. Then took a mile walk break and ran 5k the other way, finished at the car, drank from our big insulated water bottle at the car, then walked. It worked really well, nice cold water the whole way and for once I wasn’t dehydrated when I got home.

    My husband was having some trouble with the heat today towards the end of our second run, arm hair standing on end and feeling shivery, and like he was going to throw up. I didn’t have any trouble apart from my legs being tired because we haven’t gotten in enough running recently due to the heat. But we are gonna have to take care obviously. Some guy in California died recently on a run in 106 degree heat and it took them three weeks to find his body because he had apparently gotten disoriented and walked off the trail following a “game trail” which I assume means a deer track or something. He had left his phone back at the car, which doesn’t seem like a good plan to me! Anyway everyone be careful out there!

    Speaking of deer, we passed a deer standing smack in the middle of the paved trail. She looked startled to see us. Apart from the deer we only saw bicyclists, I guess other runners thought it was too hot. One young man passed us on his cycle and yelled, “You guys are killing it!” My husband said “That guy is my spirit animal.” Seriously, his encouragement made a huge difference on a very hot run.

    The other thing that made a difference was that there were Indian dancers practicing with drums at the park, and we could hear them most of the way along the Greenline. @Tramboman that was the soundtrack to my running today! But usually I run to the 50s and 60s music in my head as well. Part of today’s run was to “Dem Bones” by the Four Lads. I can remember Captain Kangaroo from my childhood but don’t remember the music. I just remember liking Mr Green Jeans!
  • Tramboman
    Tramboman Posts: 2,482 Member
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    8-1 7k measy (between moderate and easy)
    8-2 rest
    8-3 7k measy
    8-4 7k easy
    8-5 rest
    8-6 7k measy
    8-7 7k moderate
    8-8 7k measy
    8-9 rest

    August Total: 42k
    August Goal: 150k

    Golf today instead of running.

    @Teresa502 Well done on your 10k!!!

    When you pop in here claiming your December 2021 mileage, what accomplishments will you have made?

    PUT THE FUN BACK IN THE RUN!
    Return to a good running weight of 175 lbs (second attempt)

    2021 Races:

    6/26 Direction Up 5k, Solon, OH 31:48 chip; 31:59 Garmin; 53d overall; 2d male 65 and over
    7/17 Run of the Ox 5k, Mantua, OH 32:19 Garmin; 44th overall; 3d place male 60 and over
    9/18 5k Run and Roll, Aurora, OH
  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,158 Member
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    Distance Log:
    Aug 2: 4.17
    Aug 4: 4.80
    Aug 6: 5.94
    Aug 9: 5.74

    Total: 20.65/60 miles

    I like to listen to audiobooks usually. My reading list is really long, so I like being able to "read" and run at the same time! I have noticed though that my pace picks up when there's a lot of drama or action going on, and it mellows out during more thoughtful or descriptive passages. :D But I also do that if I'm just thinking my own thoughts!
  • martaindale
    martaindale Posts: 2,112 Member
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    Scott6255 wrote: »
    @rheddmobile scary about your husband's reaction to the heat. Not surprising in the those conditions you two run in, but I would be concerned...that sounds serious.

    This ^ The symptoms you are describing are heat exhaustion. It is the first stop on the way to a heat stroke.
  • Teresa502
    Teresa502 Posts: 1,745 Member
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    August 1 – 6.33
    August 2 – 5.35
    August 3 – 5.28
    August 4 – 5.27
    August 6 – 6.04
    August 7/8 – 5.01
    August 9 – 4.83

    Working from home today so I got to sleep a little later and run on my hilly road. I usually see no one but I saw a friend from high school whom I haven’t seen in several years so I stopped to talk to him for a few minutes. He insisted on a hug even though I was a sweaty mess. The second half of the run I could get a whiff of his after-shave on me. I’m pretty sure I got the better end of that deal. Poor guy will probably be smelling my sweat all day.

    @kgirlhart – Did anyone ever claim the dogs? I bet Sunny the donkey comes out of the house because he wants to run with you also!
  • martaindale
    martaindale Posts: 2,112 Member
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    @kgirlhart I love Sunny sightings. I told my husband about him this morning and showed him your picture of Sunny on his porch. He really got a kick out of it. The dogs certainly look well cared for. I hope they find their way home.

    @Teresa502 Great race! Glad you were there to encourage that girl. Honestly, if that were my kid she would have been so tired/up past her bedtime that she wouldn't be able to cope with running several miles. You both finished with very respectable times! Isn't Pigeon Forge the home of Dollywood too?
  • Scott6255
    Scott6255 Posts: 2,445 Member
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    @skippygirlsmom Skip did a GREAT job on her first Tri! That is a tough 1:08. Hope she enjoyed it.
  • Teresa502
    Teresa502 Posts: 1,745 Member
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    martaindale wrote: »
    @Teresa502 Great race! Glad you were there to encourage that girl. Honestly, if that were my kid she would have been so tired/up past her bedtime that she wouldn't be able to cope with running several miles. You both finished with very respectable times! Isn't Pigeon Forge the home of Dollywood too?

    Yes! She also has a water park and Dixie Stampede. She has done so much for that county. Not only with revenue from the parks but supporting the local schools and youth. During the fires a couple of years ago, she donated money to each resident affected by them.
  • Teresa502
    Teresa502 Posts: 1,745 Member
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    Yay for Skip @Skippygirlsmom! That is great for her first tri. I hear they are won in the transition areas. My friend who ran with me this weekend has done a few so is a beginner herself and struggles with the swim part. She also gets flustered if there are a lot of other swimmers around her making the pool choppy. I'm glad that you were there to calm her down and get her back on track!
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
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    martaindale wrote: »
    Scott6255 wrote: »
    @rheddmobile scary about your husband's reaction to the heat. Not surprising in the those conditions you two run in, but I would be concerned...that sounds serious.

    This ^ The symptoms you are describing are heat exhaustion. It is the first stop on the way to a heat stroke.
    Yep! We stay very aware of it during this heat (which is all of July, August and September usually) - getting goosebumps is always my first sign that I need to cool down.

    @skippygirlsmom Yay Skip! I would love to do a tri but don’t swim that well.
  • Tramboman
    Tramboman Posts: 2,482 Member
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    Well done, Skip!!!

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